Geothermal power

Introduction
Pros
- Pro 1: Geothermal power is flexible and reliable, with low operating costs.
- Pro 2: Geothermal power can be efficiently used on a small scale, such as a single home or building.
- Pro 3: Geothermal power is a consistent, clean energy, with a small land footprint, making it less obtrusive to the natural landscape.
Cons
- Con 1: Geothermal power plants entail high up-front costs and are geographically limited.
- Con 2: Geothermal power plant construction can trigger earthquakes.
- Con 3: Geothermal power plants can endanger water supplies and wildlife.
Assessment quiz
Discussion questions
Sources

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

Geothermal power

Grand Prismatic Spring

Geothermal power plant

Map of the Pacific Ring of Fire highlighting the tectonic plate boundaries around the Pacific Ocean. The map shows spreading and converging plate boundaries, volcanic arcs, and marks major active volcanoes with star symbols. A pink shaded area outlines the Ring of Fire, tracing the regions of frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity along the edges of the Pacific Plate, including the west coasts of the Americas, eastern Asia, and the islands of the western Pacific.

Geothermal-rich Iceland

Diagram showing how a residential geothermal heat pump works, with winter heating on the left transferring heat from underground pipes into the house, and summer cooling on the right transferring heat from the house into the ground.

Geothermal energy

Geothermal power: References & Edit History

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

The Editors of ProCon
ProCon's editors write and verify new content and update existing content. ProCon presents the pro and con arguments to debatable issues in a straightforward, nonpartisan, freely accessible way.

Article History

Type	Description	Contributor	Date
	Discussion questions standardized.	The Editors of ProCon	Jul 23, 2026
	Quiz added.	The Editors of ProCon	May 08, 2026
	Intro edit to remove duplicate text.	The Editors of ProCon	May 01, 2026
	New article added.	The Editors of ProCon	Apr 02, 2026